Chapter 145: Divine Authority

Chapter 145: Divine Authority

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Age has not taken much from their father. Unlike Elder Xun, whose hair has long since lost the battle against whiteness, their fathers hair retains its red color. Normally, it would be tied in a topknot, but now it flows freely all the way to his shoulders. His skin only shows the barest presence of age lines amidst unblemished jade.

His golden eyes freeze them in place.

Are you children?

The words are spoken softly and without any shred of Qi in them. In the utter stillness created by their fathers sudden appearance, they find no trouble reaching the two of them. Not even a stray gust of wind dares disturb their path.

I ask because yet again I find myself mediating your fights as if you were mere whelps who have not seen more than ten springs. I thought times like these were long past. Clearly, I misjudged your maturity.

Both brothers flinch, and not just because of what their father is saying. Something else is at play. A power foreign even to Emperors such as themselves, yet paradoxically familiar. Every word that comes out of their fathers mouth has authority to it. His voice leaves behind an odd echo as if reality itself were vacillating, unsure whether it should take their fathers words as fact.

Has he finally stabilized?

Follow me, their father says. Space shifts around them, and they let it. The scenery around them is replaced by the inside of the main house. Despite their short but intense battle, the main house remains unblemished. Just as they knew it would be. Their fathers presence within the building always guaranteed not even a single stone would be moved out of place.

Their father has transported them to his meditation chamber, a luxuriously decorated red room. The walls, the floor, the ceiling, the furniture, the flames that illuminate the room, and even the smoke from the incense. No color other than red is allowed in this room. Even the robes his father wears right now are pure red without any patterns or embroidery.

It may help their father center himself, but Feng Gui has always thought it was a little too much, an opinion he has often voiced in the past.

Feng Shang has never said anything about it, but what else can be expected of his dull older brother?

I cannot fault you for your aggressiveness, their father says. His voice fills the room and leaves no room for anyone else. Nor can I be angry about your willingness to kill in service of your goals. Usually, Id find myself approving of such behavior. Perhaps even proud. Goals cannot be accomplished by those without resolve. It is not enough to be powerful. One must be willing to do anything to force their will upon the world. Else power is worthless.

Power is worthless without the will to act. How many times did he tell them that when they were children?

Has he ever stopped trying to teach them that?

I had no problems with your failure to win the Crimson Cloud Tournament, their father tells Feng Shang. Even ten lost tournaments would be a small matter. Similarly, the Internal Forces recklessness and even potentially angering my dear, old friend are not matters I take issue with.

His gaze then shifts over to Feng Gui. Nor did I mind that your takeover of the Medical Pavilion and subsequent denial of supplies to the capital caused the loss of some disciples. Those truly talented would have survived regardless, and they would have won regardless. That is what it means to oppose Heavens Will. Similarly, the Apothecarys recent hoarding of supplies or the Exploration Divisions more discrete actions are no big matter.

Feng Guis throat is suddenly dry.

Their fathers Shadow could not have possibly gathered that information while he was deep in meditation. Someone has been reporting to him. Elder Xun most likely, but that means the old man has paid far more attention to the affairs of the Eternal Flame Clan than anyone gave him credit for.

Old books should just gather dust on the high shelf.

Lie. Betray. Cheat. Recklessly. Methodically. Relentlessly. Accept nothing but ultimate victory.

His fathers golden eyes narrow.

However, I would have liked to think you knew such things are not acceptable between family.

He does not yell, yet the strength of his anger is such that the brothers find their heads turned to the side as if they had just been slapped.

Father! Feng Shang dares to step forward. I did not-

Another invisible slap to the face silences him.

Will you claim you did not mean to kill your nephew? That makes you either foolish enough to try to lie to me or so incompetent you were unable to control a mere whelp of less than four hundred years! Which one is it?

Feng Shang lowers his head.

I am sorry, father.

Were he three hundred years younger, Feng Gui might have winced. That was not the answer their father wanted.

I did not ask for your apologies, son, their father says slowly and with thinning patience. The fine hairs on Feng Guis arm bristle as the odd feeling in the room intensifies. I asked you for an answer. Foolish or incompetent. Which do you declare yourselves to be?

Danger looms around them like a pack of hungry wolves.

No.

Perhaps they are inside the wolfs mouth already.

...I was foolish, father.

Again the strength of their fathers voice slaps them across the face.

Contrary to what you two may have deluded yourselves into thinking, the selection of the next Patriarch is not something you have any input in. It is not your domain. It is mine. My Duty. My Responsibility. My Power.

Each word makes them feel smaller, and their father seem bigger. No, it may actually be happening. Dimensions rippling to accommodate their fathers words as truth.

You were content to treat the weaker disciples as pieces to be discarded. Now those weak disciples hold the weight of your ambitions. Their strength, cunning, and guile, not yours, will decide which of the two will become Patriarch. You will do nothing but choose and pray you chose wisely. Watch helplessly as people who are like ants decide whether you will reach your dreams. That. Is your Punishment.

The Eternal Flame Clan might be a place of fire but only cold remains after their fathers verdict. The aftermath of an execution might have been warmer.

What Feng Gui starts but loses his voice almost immediately. He swallows saliva to wet his throat. What will be the terms?

It is customary for members of the Feng Clan to walk into the Dead Plains and search for the Sun Scrolls. My father did it. My brother and I did. You did it, and your children will do it one day as well.

Ludicrous!

To send a group composed of mainly Inner Disciples to the Dead Plains is already sending most of them to their deaths, but to make them search for the Sun Scrolls? There is no way they can succeed! And if they cannot succeed, how is their father meant to determine anything?

Is he just mocking them?

Of course, it would be futile to expect them to succeed where so many have failed. No, I will not require them to find the Sun Scrolls. Their goal will be far more humble. You will each pick ninety-nine disciples, and I will drop each group in a different part of the Dead Plains. Their goal will be to reach the Eye of the Plains and acquire a temple stone to bring here. The one whose chosen ones manage this feat will become the next Patriarch.

Not impossible for Core Disciples, especially ten of them. However, its still too dangerous.

And yet, there is no point in bringing that up to their father. All their complaints will be dismissed without care.

How much time do we have to prepare, Feng Shang asks, likely thinking of all the wounded disciples in the Medical Pavilion he must include because they were in the Sparring Hall during the brawl. Feng Gui, who controls the Medical Pavilion, will naturally have his disciples ready first.

You will have two weeks.

Feng Gui frowns. Hed have liked a little less time. Still, he doubts he could have gotten away with pretending the disciples were not ready in time.

Then there is the matter of Xun Huwen.

By forcing his inclusion in the challenge, their father has given Feng Shang a powerful weapon but an uncontrollable one. Xun Huwen is as likely to hinder Feng Shang as he is to help him. More importantly, since his father has limited the participation to only disciples present in the Eternal Flame Clans compound right now, Feng Shang cannot use Feng Zhuo.

All those conditions heavily favor Feng Gui. It seems their father is quite angry with Feng Shang.

Feng Hao will also be included in this.

What?

There is no doubt as to whose roar reverberates in the chamber this time. Feng Gui steps forward. His Qi flares up like a small nova. Wrath writ across his face.

You dare chastise us for endangering our family, yet now tell me to place my son in mortal danger?! You know most of those disciples will not return alive!

Silence.

Feng Guis power is snuffed out in an instant. Suddenly, he is not an Emperor standing tall and proud, but a child before his father.

Do not question me, son. Feng Hao will go. Their father turns to Feng Shang. If Feng Hao is killed during this contest, I will kill Feng Zhuo in retaliation.

Feng Shangs face turns ashen. Even Feng Gui is taken aback.

And Feng Gui will automatically be made Patriarch.

What?

Of course, their father says, rising from his seat. That is only if Feng Hao dies at any moment during the contest.

That that

How dare he!

Feng Gui cannot speak. He cannot move.

He can only tremble with impotent rage.

You are dismissed. I will contact you with further details of the contest at a later date. You have two weeks. Use them wisely.

~~~